


I dream but not of sheep

by Webtrinsic



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, Insecure Peter Parker, Nightmares, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Sleepiness, Worried Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-31 01:38:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13964574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Webtrinsic/pseuds/Webtrinsic
Summary: Peter denied his need for sleep often, luckily Tony wasn't having it. But Tony couldn't blame the boy, he had nightmares and long nights too.





	I dream but not of sheep

Travel took a lot out of people, no matter who, and the boy with spider powers and super strength was no exception. Tony realized this quickly, as they exited the plane. Peter leaning into his side, his head continuously lowering before snapping back up in an attempt to stay awake.

They'd both been up late, some lunatic wanna be supreme super villain keeping them up. He knew Peter had it worse off, stuck holding a heavy beam all the while having a panic attack, along with an episode of sorts. But he held it. For hours.

He hadn't known the kid was claustrophobic, but the reaction and the tears along with the crying for help that clued Tony in. Tony knew what it had been, and begrudged himself for not being able to defuse the situation sooner.

"Did you want to rest at the compound or go home?" He asked, carefully winding his arm around the boy's shoulders when Peter strayed a little too far, almost losing his balance.

A mumbled response came from the boy's throat before they met with Happy, who opened up the car door. Happy Looked down curiously at the teen snuggled into his bosses side.

His eyes were slowly shutting, fluttering to stay awake. But the moment his eyes shut they snapped back open again.

Happy stepped forward, taking the kid’s bag off his shoulders and the other, which Tony had grabbed since Peter was too out of it to even notice, before stuffing it in the trunk.

He moved to take Tony's bags too since the inventor was preoccupied with keeping the spiderling up. Tony's calloused hand hesitantly wove into Peter's hair and held him close.

He gently ushered him into the car, willing the boy to fall asleep. But he wouldn't and was content to lean against his mentor as they drove back to the compound.

"You know you can sleep, kid? We have another hour till we get there."

"'M not tired," he lied, turning and curling in his seat, head pressed to the door.

Tony decided not to reply, it wouldn't do much anyway. He only hoped the kid would fall asleep in the car.

He didn't.

 

\---

 

Peter stared almost defiantly when he was pulled from the car and Tony had told him he needed to sleep. 

"M'fine," he insisted, straying sideways before Tony righted him again. Carefully moving to hold his elbow as he led the boy into the compound.

Happy let May know her nephew would be spending the night, before asking if Peter had trouble sleeping often.

Yawning Peter fell into Tony's side, the jump of the elevator catching him off guard. 

"I'm not tired," Peter told him suddenly, head jumping.

Tony didn't know what took hold of him, but he pulled the boy to his chest. Fingers curling into his hair, and not allowing the boy to move in protest. He was asleep by the time they reached the floor.

Tony was quick in leaning over and lifting the child up and taking him to his bed, before brushing the hair from his face and heading to his own room.

 

\---

 

_ Zemo's words caught his breath as his attention was drawn to the sizzling footage of the car crash, the man standing a few feet away from him, metal arm gleaming as he strode up to the car. _

_Heart clenching as his mom was killed, then his father before finally pulling the bloodied defenseless teen from the backseat. And suddenly that grainy footage had sound, as Peter whined at the metal arm around his throat._

_A choked cry escaping him when the arm slammed him against the car. A blade being pulled by the free hand and piercing the boy's chest before he was dropped to his knees. No sound escaped him, eyes open wide. Hands moved to the blade only to come back bloody, before falling forward, the tip of the blade rising through his back._

His eyes opened with a gasp, tears slowly leaking as he squeezed his eyes shut. He held his chest in an attempt to stop the erratic beats burning his chest. Pepper lifted her head to look at her fiance.

He left the room before she could even ask what was wrong.

 

\---

 

P _eter struggled desperately within his confines, unable to see Tony but heard as the man talked with whoever was dragging him by his hair._

_"Take him, I'm sure he'd make a great soldier if you break it into him."_

_"No, no, no, Tony please, please don't give me away," Peter cried, but they weren't listening. Tony wasn't listening._

_"I'll be better, I promise. Please, Tony, please," He begged and jerked at the touch of someone's hand on his shoulder._

Shaking him awake. 

Peter opened his teary eyes, surprised to see an equally distressed Tony nudging him awake. Keeping a warm hand on his shoulder.

And Peter couldn't help but throw himself into the man's arms, sobbing in a repeated litany of, "Please don't give me away."

Tony held back tightly, winding his fingers in the boy's soft locks.

"God no, I'd never do that," He exhaled, adjusting his weight by sliding his knee onto the bed before softly crying into the crown of Peter's head.

He silently hoped that being able to hold Peter would protect the child from that metal arm from his dreams. But that wasn't real, Peter was here. Not in the ground with his parents. Peter wasn't even alive back then, was he? He couldn't think clearly enough to even remember the date.

The cogs weren't turning other than being stuck on the thought of how Peter thought he'd give him away.

"You're okay," Tony whispered, hoping his voice didn't crack. When it did, Peter didn't seem to mind. His fingers digging into the older man's shoulder blades in a desperate attempt to cling.

"I'm sorry," Peter apologized, still afraid of being let go.

Tony proceeded to hush the younger boy, "You didn't do anything wrong. We're okay now, it was only a dream." It was only a dream.

Lightly pulling Peter away so he could see his face. Tony placed his calloused hands on the boy's cheeks, brushing away the tears. As Peter persisted his attempt to press himself into the older man’s collarbone.

"Peter, Peter I need you to listen to me. It wasn't real," Peter's eyes flickered to his own, noticing the truth in them when he spoke.

"I'd sooner die than give you away, and I wouldn't be having nightmares of losing you if that weren't true."

Peter nodded in understanding. He let Peter go so Peter could situate himself closer, hiding in his throat, as Tony looked down at the boy's back. His hand resting on the exact spot where he'd seen the tip of the blade breach the skin in the dream.

 

But Peter didn't have to know.

 


End file.
